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Month: March 2017

“Even a worm will turn” is an expression used to mean that an unfavorable situation can be reversed, that even the meekest or most docile of creatures will retaliate or get revenge if pushed too far. It’s a metaphor meaning that a person will fight back if pushed too far. I don’t think worms fight back, but remember that “worm”…

“Tuffet” has three different definitions: – a tuft or clump of vegetation, such as a grass tuffet – a footstool or low seat (also known as a pouffe or hassock) – an inflatable cushion serving as landing area for precision accuracy parachuting Wikipedia says that a tuffet is distinguished from a stool in that it is completely covered in cloth…

Slow down or stop, be patient, keep your shirt on, cool your jets. The phrase “hold your horses” literally means to keep your horse (or horses) still. Therefore, it’s easy for anyone who has never heard the expression before to understand its meaning. It is usually followed up with an explanation of why you should wait. For example, “Hold your…

I’m celebrating the spring equinox by announcing that The Missing Year, 4th of The Charger Chronicles series, is out as of today, March 21, 2017. Here’s the back page blurb: This science fiction novella is not a prequel nor a sequel to The Charger Chronicles. It is an “inquel,” or a story in the middle of a story, not affecting…

Laughing uproariously or uncontrollably. Example: “He was so funny – he had me in stitches all evening.” To be in stitches is to laugh so hard that it hurts — hurts like being pricked with a needle. The first written record of the expression occurs in William Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night, circa 1601. After preparing a practical joke, the character…

Rubbish, nonsense. This term originated in America. “Horsefeathers,” which is said by J. E. Lighter’s Historical Dictionary of American Slang to be a euphemism for horse-shit, is reported as being coined by the comic-strip artist and writer, Billy de Beck. He was the author of the popular cartoon Barney Google, which often featured dialogues with a horse — his sidekick,…

Boast about your own achievements. Draw attention to yourself. Usually, the easiest way to do that is to make a lot of noise. Although I suspect that if you really want to catch someone’s attention, whispering might be a better choice. Phrases meaning the same thing have been in use for centuries. For example: Beat your own drum. Toot your…